Late in the Game
by ozmagirl03
Summary: Updated! In the home stretch, I swear. :) Please RR! -AU- Lucky (as played by JJ- the real Lucky) escapes from Helena after almost a year as her captive. But what happens when he makes it back to Port Charles?
1. Chessmates, Escape

Disclaimer: I own nothing of "General Hospital". All the characters belong to the writers, actors, directors, producers, etc, basically anyone but me. I am just borrowing them for a time.

A/N: This is an AU story taking place in February of 2000. There are only minor story changes before the story begins, those being only a matter of time. To make the story fit into the timeframe I wanted, I pushed the events on "General Hospital" back in time a few weeks. However, everything has still happened as it did on the show. Faison has been killed; Helena has left Port Charles to meet up with her crew of kidnappers who hold Lucky captive; Elizabeth has tested the waters of her friendship with Jason and he has left town; Luke and Felicia have been getting closer and Laura and Stefan have tested their own relationship. And then.......

Late in the Game

"Chessmates/Escape"

(February 12, 2000-Helena's yacht, ten miles from Manhattan harbor-10:30 PM)

"It's your move," Helena Cassadine drawled, sitting across the table from her prisoner. The perfectly manicured nails of her right hand tapped the marble tabletop while the fingers of her left hand traveled carefully over her captured chess pieces.

Lucky Spencer stared back at her, smiling sardonically. "I'm thinking," he told her. "You can't rush genius, Helena; you of all people should know that."

Helena laughed. "Now, young Spencer, we'll have none of that. You of all people should know that, while flattery will get you some places, it won't get you where you want to be."

Lucky leaned forward over the chessboard. "Just for future reference, where exactly will flattery get me?"

Reaching across the table, Helena gave Lucky's hand a pat. "That's a conversation for another day. We will have plenty of time together."

"Fine." Lucky moved his rook forward, and in two more moves he had Helena in checkmate.

"Very good, Lucky." Helena leaned back into her chair, folding her arms across her chest. "And now for your reward. What question do you have in mind?"

Lucky rolled his thoughts around his head, running his tongue along the back of his teeth to stall time. "After Manhattan, what is our next destination?" he finally asked her.

"Insightful as always," she replied. "We won't be in New York for long, only for an hour or so, and will immediately be heading for the Chesapeake Bay. We should be there by eight o'clock tomorrow morning."

Lucky's mind was already fast at work. His captor watched him carefully, trying to follow his thought process. They had only been together for a few weeks now, playing her wicked cat and mouse game. Even so, she was sure that she had a pretty good idea how his mind worked. She didn't think he would be stupid enough to be planning anything specific, only gathering all and any information for the future. Even so, she kept remembering her own advice: "Never underestimate Lucky Spencer."

"Is this answer satisfactory?" Helena asked him.

He smiled finally, resting his chin on his laced-together fingers. "Quite satisfactory, thank you," he said. "If it is the truth."

"Now, Lucky, you know that was our bargain." Helena sipped thoughtfully from her wine glass. "With each win you get one question and one truthful answer. And this is one bargain I am compelled to keep."

"Why, Madame Cassadine," Lucky started, "you're going to make me blush."

Helena's grin couldn't hide the fact that Lucky's confidence was a little unnerving to her. He was exactly like his father, and Luke Spencer was the only man to ever give her a challenge. Her guards had told her it had been a long time since Lucky had tried to escape. He had even stopped asking questions about his family, about the Webber girl. He seemed content to play her game and bide his time. But what was he biding time for?

Lucky stifled a yawn behind his hand. "Well, if you don't mind, I think I'll turn in for the night, unless you want to lose again."

"Your overconfidence is quite engaging, Lucky, but I wouldn't be so bold if I were you," Helena advised him. "I would hate to have your beautiful figure fall from grace."

Lucky's eyes narrowed, but only just. "Yes, I'm sure you would." He stood up from the table and walked off towards his room, never looking back, though Helena's eyes followed him until he disappeared from her sight. Something was definitely going on in his mind, something big. She only hoped she had enough time to find out what it was.

--------------------------------

Lucky sat up in his bed, counting the minutes and seconds. He was so concentrated, he could hear every separate beat of his heart, could feel the blood pumping in his veins. Tonight was the night. He knew it. If it didn't happen now, it might never happen. It had been almost a year. A year of his life that he had lost because of Helena Cassadine and her Jurassic vendetta against the Spencer family.

If his calculations were correct, it was almost Valentine's Day. For the first time in days he allowed himself to think of Elizabeth, and almost immediately tears sprang up and he had to choke down his sobs. He missed her so much, the pain of her absence was a physical thing, looming over him and threatening to consume him. He pulled a picture from his back pocket, something Helena's guards had given him on his birthday, her idea of a sick joke. Elizabeth was standing outside in her Kelly's apron, talking to Emily Quartermaine. Her hands were on her hips and she was laughing. She looked just like the Elizabeth he had left, the Elizabeth he had discovered from the frozen and terrified girl he'd found that night in the park. He wondered what her life was like now, if she had moved on. Part of him hoped that she had, that she wasn't hurting over his "death" anymore and was enjoying her life. The other part of him was terrified of the exact same thing. What if he came back to her, and she had completely moved on? What if she had fallen in love with someone else? These fears haunted his dreams most nights when he did dream. Other nights his sleep was silent and blank, a blessed relief whenever that happened.

Finally midnight rolled around, or what his body was telling him was midnight. It was now or never. He pulled on his coat, retrieved the slim knife from its hiding place and left the room without so much as a parting glance to the place he had lived for months.

As an act of faith, Helena had cut back his guard to only one man, a mistake she would be kicking herself over for months to come. Lucky snuck up on the one guard, snaked the steely silver blade up to his neck before his presence was ever detected.

"I don't think I need to run down the average threats, I'm sure you're familiar with them all," Lucky whispered in the guard's ear. "Let's just be a good boy and do what you're told."

The guard nodded carefully, and Lucky drew back the blade a few inches to let him move. "You won't get far," the guard warned. "She's ready for you."

Lucky shook his head. "Whatever I do when I get out of this hallway is of no concern to you. Whether I get off this damn boat alive or not has nothing to do with you. Now, what I need from you is to keep your trap shut and listen." Without waiting for a response he started pushing/leading the guard back into his room. "Check the top drawer of the nightstand," he suggested softly. The guard pulled open the drawer to find a set of handcuffs. He wondered for a moment where the prisoner had gotten his hand on handcuffs, but knew that such wondering was useless. He didn't have to wait for instructions and placed the cuffs around one wrist.

"Lock the other end around the bedpost," Lucky instructed. The guard did as he was told. "Good. I guess years with Helena trained you to respect orders." Once he was sure that the guard was secure, he hurried for the door.

"I'll see you soon," the guard called after him. He smiled callously. "That is unless Madame finally grows tired of you and your insolence and decides to get rid of you once and for all."

Lucky looked back over his shoulder only for a moment. "Don't hold your breath," he said. In a second he was gone, disappearing down the hallway into the darkness.


	2. The Vows, The Dream

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, they belong to ABC.

The Vows/The Dream

(February 14, 2000-Port Charles, New York. Mount Hebron Baptist Church)

Elizabeth paced down the center aisle of the church, dressed in a clean white coat that made her skin glow, pale and perfect, so that she looked like an angel. She approached the alter, gazing into the tiny candle flames, thinking of Lucky. There was rarely a moment where the thought of Lucky was far from her mind. Gone were the days when the mere mention of his name felt like a kick in the stomach or a slap to her face. Instead, what was left was a continuous, never ending dull ache, a pain radiating from her like a light. Gone also were the nights when she would wake up, sure that she had heard Lucky taping on her bedroom window. They were replaced with nights of dreams of Lucky. Some were good, dreams of dancing at the Bacchanalia, of Christmas and the first "I love you", of Valentine's Day and their promises to each other, but some were terrible. She heard sirens and saw flashes of red and blue lights. She saw flames engulfing the motorcycle shop, saw the outline of a body in the window, trying to escape. She knew that the medical report said that Lucky had most likely died in his sleep, smoke filling his lungs, but she couldn't help but wonder against that report. What if he had woken up and tried to escape? What if he had been trapped, and had died terrified and alone?

She wiped a few tears from her eyes and started to speak, though her voice was tired and weak. "Lucky...Lucky, I miss you. I miss you almost all the time. I've tried not to, but it doesn't work and that's okay, because it means you're still with me. You, what we had, the promises we made here. You've got my heart. That's a permanent lock. Everything I am is in love with you, my soul, my mind, my body, and my spirit. And it's never gonna change. I pledge myself to you, today, forever. You will always be in my heart. Bye, Lucky." Tears fell down her cheeks and this time she did not try to stop them. She looked one long last at the alter, remembering their Valentine's night and then turned and walked away quickly, before she could stop herself. Instead of going to her studio she went home to her grandmother's and straight up to her old room. She crumpled in a ball on her bed and cried herself to sleep.

The dream started out peacefully. She saw Lucky's face, smiling back at her from across a table at Kelly's. It was no specific memory, just his face. The scene expanded and she recognized their last dinner together, the night before the fire. Nikolas and Emily were gone and they were alone. Their song was playing on the juke box and Lucky reached out his hands for her and they started to dance. Elizabeth could feel his warm breath on her skin and the memory was so real, so comforting. The scene faded to black and the sirens started, first a far off sound, then growing louder and closer and more powerful. Elizabeth struggled in her sleep, fighting against the terrible images flashing before her mind's eye. She saw herself running towards the motorcycle shop. The blaze lit up the entire night sky, but seemed to have attracted no attention. There were no fire trucks or police cars, no bystanders at all. There was no one there to stop her from barreling into the building, past the inferno that seemed to have no heat at all, at least none that could touch her. She ran straight up to Lucky's door and started pounding with her fists with all her might. She screamed Lucky's name, begged him to wake up. The fire grew around her and she was trapped, but she continued to scream for him.

Elizabeth jerked herself awake, sitting up. She rubbed her eyes and tried to get her dream out of her mind. She could still hear the sound of her pounding on Lucky's door, only quieter, as if far away. She shook her head back and forth, but the sound persisted. It was almost as if...no, it couldn't be. She dismissed the thought as soon as it arrived. It just couldn't be.

But the knocking would not cease and the thought resurfaced. It sounded exactly like Lucky, tapping on her bedroom window like he did so many times before, in what seemed like another life. Finally, going against all the logic in the world, Elizabeth dragged herself out of bed and over to the window. She stopped dead when she saw the face looking back at her.

"Elizabeth, it's me."


	3. Earthbound Angels

Disclaimer: I don't own anything regarding "General Hospital", all rights, etc. go to ABC.

Earthbound Angels

(February 15, 2000-Port Charles, New York- 3:20 A.M.)

"Elizabeth, it's me."

Elizabeth stood back from the window, shaking. She brought her hand over her mouth. She couldn't believe what she was seeing, what she was hearing. It couldn't possibly be true. But...he was so real. She stepped forward, reached out to touch the cold, hard glass.

"No, it can't be," she whispered. "You're gone. This is just a dream."

Lucky put his hand to the glass to meet her fingers. "No, Elizabeth, this is not a dream. It's real, I'm real. Please let me in."

"It can't be," she repeated, but she pushed open the window nonetheless. She stepped back as Lucky pulled himself into her room. "How is this...how are youâ€this has to be a dream."

Lucky carefully drew his arms around her, pulled her into his embrace. "I promise you this is real. Don't I feel real?" he asked her.

She held tight to his arms, looked in his face. He was her Lucky, but changed. His hair was longer than she remembered, and a little lighter, as if he'd been out in the sun. His eyes were dark, liquid pools of blue. He seemed stronger somehow. His presence was more powerful.

"You do," she answered him. "But you can't be. Lucky, you're dead. There was a fire, you...you died. Your parents saw your body. You had a funeral, you have a grave. You can't be here."

Lucky took her hands. "It was fake," he said in an uncompromising voice. "It was all fake, it was all a set up. I wasn't anywhere near the motorcycle shop when it burned."

Still not convinced her unconscious wasn't playing a cruel joke on her, Elizabeth asked, "But how...who?"

"Helena Cassadine," he answered her.

"What?"

"Helena nabbed me to use as bait for my father. And when that didn't work, I think" he cut himself off suddenly, looking behind him as if he thought there was someone sneaking up behind him. "Elizabeth, this is a very long story, and we don't have a lot of time. I need to know if you're willing to come with me."

"Come with you where?" she asked.

"Anywhere away from here. She's probably already here looking for me. I have to leave, keep running." He surveyed her room quickly, mentally packing a getaway bag. "I know this is hard, but I'm afraid she'll come after you to get at me. That's why you have to come."

Still in shock, Elizabeth ran her fingers through her hair. "Gram. I have to tell Gram. And your parents. They have to know. And Nikolas...and Lesley Lu, they"

"Elizabeth, there isn't time," he interrupted her. "We can call everyone once we get on the way, but we don't have time for that now. Believe me, I wish it was different, but we don't have a choice."

"Okay," she finally said. "I'll go with you. Just lead, and anywhere you go, I will follow you."

Lucky immediately started throwing things into a bag, as she was still a little shaken. She was staring at him, as if she still didn't quite believe it, which he didn't blame her for at all. At last, she came up to him and placed her hands around his face. "I believe you're not a dream, but I'm still not sure you're not an angel."

He responded by wrapping his arms tightly around her, indulging in one quiet, unhurried moment. "You are the one who looks like an angel," he said. He brushed a strand of hair away from her eyes and made a move to kiss her, but stopped himself. "We need to go," he told her. He crawled out of the window, holding her bag. She went after him, taking one moment to look back into her room before finally turning away and following Lucky into the night.


	4. On the Run, Part 1

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Nada. Zilch. Period.

A/N- I apologize for the short chapter, but that's life, eh?

"On the Run, pt. 1"

(February 15, 2000- somewhere between Port Charles and the Canadian border)

Lucky led Elizabeth to the bus station and immediately purchased two tickets. To where exactly, she did not have time to discover as they rushed to the bus and boarded before she could ask. When they were on their way and things were relatively calm, she decided it was safe to ask where they were going.

"It doesn't matter," Lucky answered stoically. "We won't be there long." He offered her nothing beyond this short statement. In fact, he said almost nothing to her the whole journey long. Elizabeth was starting to believe she was dreaming again. The man she saw before her...he looked like Lucky, he had Lucky's eyes and his hands and his lips. But something was different, something had changed. This Lucky was harder and his face was closed and impossible to read. He avoided her glances and ever time she made a move to be closer to him, he edged away.

Finally, Elizabeth decided she knew what change had occurred. He didn't love her anymore. That was why he was being so distant, there was no other explanation. He was still cared for her, or else he wouldn't have bothered to take her with him to protect her from Helena, but he clearly didn't love her anymore. Elizabeth stared out the window at the passing trees. It was all she could do to keep the wells of tears from escaping down her face.

After an hour or so, Elizabeth fell asleep, leaning against the window. Lucky watched her with a pain like a fireball growing in his chest. He had spent hours on Helena's yacht imaging her reaction if he ever fought his way back to her. But nothing he had envisioned matched what had happened that night. She was shocked yes, and there was a fair amount of disbelief, but there had been no great relief and rejoicing. 'You've had too much time to plan this,' Lucky admonished himself. 'You can't expect her to be exactly what you'd dreamed'. There was only one explanation in his mind, one that confirmed his worst fears. She had obviously gotten over his death and he himself. Not even in his worst nightmares had he imagined she would not love him at all, but it was clear that she was no longer in love with him. A few spare tears rolled away from his eyes. He brushed them away half-heartedly and continued to watch her sleep.


	5. On the Run, Part 2

Disclaimer: I do not now own, nor have I ever owned, "General Hospital".

"On the Run, pt. 2"

(February 15, 2000- A train station on the Canadian border- 2:00 P.M.)

"Elizabeth, wake up."

Elizabeth stirred and shook her head, tossing away the remnants of her dream, the last image of which faded from her memory as soon as she opened her eyes. "What?" she yawned. "Where are we?"

"Doesn't matter," Lucky told her again. "Get your bag."

Elizabeth shouldered her luggage and followed silently as Lucky led her through the swarms of people at the bus depot. She thought she recognized her surroundings but she couldn't be sure. They emerged into the street under gentle sheets of afternoon rain.

"Would it do me any good to ask where we're going?" she ventured.

"The train station," he answered shortly.

The station was busy, people buzzing in every direction. "I'm going to get our tickets," Lucky said. He handed Elizabeth a quarter and pointed to a kiosk of telephones. "Go call your grandmother, tell her," he interrupted himself, making sure she was listening to him. "This is important, Elizabeth," he stressed. "Tell her that you are safe, not to worry. Don't tell her you're with me."

"Why not?" she asked.

"It would take too long to explain," he said. "You need to make this call as short as possible. Tell her that she needs to leave the house, go on vacation, just get out of Port Charles for a while."

Elizabeth's eyes were wide with fear. "Is Gram in danger?"

Lucky sighed and rubbed his temples. "I don't know. It's possible Helena might go after her to get to me. I'm not sure she will, there are a lot of better, quicker ways to get to me, but there is a possibility."

"Okay," she resigned. "Anything else?"

"Tell her to go to my parents and tell them to have the backpack ready. Those words exactly," he said pointedly. "Have the backpack ready. Tell her all that then get off the phone as soon as you can. Wait by the phones and I will come and get you."

They parted ways, Lucky headed off to the ticket booth and Elizabeth went to the phones. She grabbed the first receiver and, after taking a deep breath, dialed her grandmother's number. Two rings and there was an answer. Audrey Hardy sounded tired and desperate.

"Gram?" Elizabeth started carefully. "It's me."

"Oh, thank God," Audrey exclaimed. "Where are you? Are you okay? Is..."

Elizabeth interrupted her. "Gram, you have to listen to me for a minute, this is very important. I am fine," she asserted. "I'm out of town, but I am absolutely fine, and I'm not alone. You need to leave Port Charles for a while."

"Why?" Audrey asked. "Elizabeth, I don't understand what you're telling me. Where are you?"

"I can't tell you, Gram, you just have to believe me, you need to leave town for a while. I know you have vacation time. Take it. Leave as soon as possible." Elizabeth remembered the last thing Lucky had told her. "Before you leave, you need to find Luke and Laura Spencer and give them a message."

Audrey was silent, most assuredly trying to digest what was happening. She knew her granddaughter was serious, she could hear it in her voice, but she still didn't understand. Finally she asked, "What message?"

"Tell them to have the backpack ready. Remember that, Gram," Elizabeth repeated, "have the backpack ready. I have to go now..."

"No, Elizabeth, please don't go," Audrey pleaded. "You have to tell me what's going on. Does this have something to do with Jason?"

"No, Gram," she said, catching a glimpse of Lucky heading towards her. "You just have to believe me when I say I'm safe and you need to get out of town as soon as you can. I'll contact you again when I can. Don't forget about the Spencers, it's very important. I love you, Gram." Before Audrey had a chance to reply, Elizabeth replaced the receiver in the cradle. Her hand lingered and a few tears sprung to her eyes.

"Audrey will be fine," Lucky assured her quietly. "My parents will make sure of that." Elizabeth sunk into Lucky's arms and for a moment forgot that they had ever been apart. "We have to go," he gently prodded. She wiped her tears and nodded, following him to the platform.


	6. A Permanent Lock

Disclaimer: Still don't own anything.

"A Permanent Lock"

Once they were settled in their private car, Elizabeth ventured to ask, "Is it worth anything to me to ask where we're going?"

Lucky leaned back in his seat and gazed out the window. "Canada," he answered. "A little town called Red Bank." He pulled out a bundle of papers and handed some to her.

"What's this?" she asked.

"The new you."

Elizabeth frowned , not understanding. In the bundle she found a fake passport and drivers license and other identification papers. All featured the name Sasha Miller. "When did you have time to do this?" she asked.

"I actually had these made last year, before...before," Lucky answered, stalling for a moment. "It's always best to be prepared, especially when you're involved with a Spencer."

Almost thirty minutes passed in silence before Elizabeth could stand it no more. "What happened that night, Lucky? Where have you been? Why didn't you try to call me or let me know? Whose body was in your apartment?" Her questions streamed from her mouth as fast as her breath could support them. Lucky just let her talk. When finally it seemed she had run out of stream, or courage, or both, and she looked back at him with wide questioning eyes, Lucky started the long explanation.

"We talked that night, on the phone. Do you remember?"

"Of course," Elizabeth protested. "I've repeated that conversation in my head for almost a year, Lucky. I kept thinking about what you said about the candles. I blamed myself for the longest time because I'd asked you to light another one for me."

Lucky stared in horror and made a move to reach out and touch her but stopped himself. He'd never imagined she would blame herself. He thought of the aggravated pain she must have gone through and his blood stung his veins.

After a minute, Lucky continued his story. "Not long after we talked, not more than fifteen minutes probably, they came." Before Elizabeth could ask who "they" were, he barreled on. "One of them called first to distract me. I shouldn't have fallen for it," he admonished himself. "I'm a Spencer, dammit, I know better...but I wasn't thinking and in my lapse they managed to sneak up on me. I never knew how many there were exactly, they knocked me out, but I know it was a least three." Lucky issued a hollow laugh. "I guess I should have been flattered that he thought it would take more than three grown men to take me down."

"He?" Elizabeth asked, confused. "I thought you said Helena was behind all this."

"She is," he told her. "But she had help. A guy named Cesar Faison. A ghost," he muttered, so low he couldn't be heard. "Faison nabbed me, but he was working for Helena." Elizabeth nodded her understanding, but did not interrupt again. Lucky continued. "I have no way of knowing this for sure, but I would bet that we were a good hour away before they started the fire at the bike shop. I don't know whose body was in my bed and frankly I don't want to know. Helena has so much blood on her hands..." his voice trailed off and he thought with some regret that he had added to the blood. Helena had not doubt exacted revenge on the guards that let him escape. "Faison took me somewhere, I still haven't figured out where, and after a month of living in a little grey room, I moved to Helena's yacht. Since then I've been floating around the world, waiting for something, anything to happen. A few weeks ago she finally arrived and I started tolerating her company, waiting until it was safe to run. And four days ago came my chance. I came straight to you and that's more of less it. At least, that's what happened on my end. I need to know what happened here. What happened that night?" he asked. "Who was there, what did people say about the fire?"

Elizabeth allowed her mind to return completely to that night and all its horror. She described to Lucky her dream and how she woke up and tried to call him. She told him how she'd gone over to the bike shop to see if he was okay after she couldn't get him on the phone. She described her terror at seeing the flames and even though she knew he was alive, knew the body inside had not been him, recalling it now still filled her with a heavy dread.

"Who was there?" Lucky asked gently, noting her distress.

"Lt. Taggert was the first on there, I think. Commissioner Scorpio, maybe. Your Aunt Bobbie was there. That I remember." Elizabeth struggled to remember that fiery moment of grief with some clarity.

"Was anyone else hurt? Was there anyone else in the bike shop?"

"No," she answered.

"What were people thinking?" he asked. "Before there were any official reports, how did they explain the fire?"

"First they thought it had to do with Sonny's business," Elizabeth told him. "Jason said at first he thought it was A.J., you know, because he burned down Sonny's warehouse."

"Jason?" Lucky was surprised to hear her mention him, though he knew he shouldn't have been. "They didn't go after A.J., did they?" he asked. He never much cared for Emily's brother but he didn't want him to pay for Helena's crimes.

"No," Elizabeth assured him. "The reports came back and said the fire had been caused by the candles."

"How did they know the body was me?" Lucky continued. "I mean other than the fact he was in my room in my bed. Who identified the body?"

"That night Taggert showed me your subway token. They'd found it on your...on the body," she corrected herself.

Lucky nodded, and said, partly to himself, "I figured that's what they'd done. The token was the first thing I realized was missing. Who identified the body?" he asked again.

"Your parents," she answered quietly. "It really shook your mom up."

Lucky leaned back and was silent for a while. At last he said, "I can't believe they fell for it. It was all too neat, they should have known better."

Elizabeth assumed he was talking about his parents. "There was so much proof, Lucky. They had dental records, the token...please don't' blame your parents."

"I don't," he said quickly. "Not really. But they should have known better. Smart enough to make it from Canada to Kelly's on my own as a kid, but not smart enough to put candles out before I went to sleep." Lucky shook his head. "They should have known better."

Elizabeth sat staring out the window, digesting all this information. Finally, she asked, "What did Helena want you for?"

"Bait," was the simply answer. "At least at first. I don't think she really intended my parents to buy the death really, so when they did she had to readjust. Since then she's been sailing me around the globe on her yacht of medieval intrigue, trying to get me to spill information, or cross over to the dark side, or something like that." Lucky watched. Elizabeth was nodded silently. A darkness was creeping into her eyes. "I tried calling you once," he told her. She looked at him in surprise. "A few days after the fire. Faison let me steal his cell phone and I called your house. You picked up, and I could hear you but I guess you couldn't hear me." He paused, remembering the awful feeling he'd had, knowing that Elizabeth thought he was dead. "Faison just wanted me to know that you were okay, I guess. So I'd struggle less."

Elizabeth remembered that phone call. She remembered thinking that maybe it was the police to say they'd made a mistake, or maybe it was Luke Spencer to tell her where Lucky really was, or maybe it was Lucky himself to tell her he loved her. The knowledge that it really had been Lucky brought the present reality crashing down around her and she started to cry, her sobs breaking out in uncontrolled waves. All that she had wished for and hoped and prayed for had come true. Lucky was alive. For the first time the true really hit her and she shook with the effect of her cries.

Lucky closed the distance between them and held her tightly in his arms. He said nothing but softly stroked her hair and let her cry. Finally she recovered herself and moved out of his embrace. She wiped her tears from her face. "Sorry," she said quietly.

"Don't be," Lucky said. "You never have to apologize to me." They were still very close to each other and he was almost dizzy with their proximity. She was looking up at him, her brown eyes wide and still moist with tears and he was struck with the desire to kiss her. He leaned closer, but at the last second pulled away. He shot off the seat and moved to the other side of the car. He rubbed his temples trying to massage away the thoughts in his head.

Elizabeth watched him, her fear returning. "Have I changed so much?" she asked. "Has your...affection for me changed so much?"

Lucky looked at her surprised. "Not at all," he said. "Not one bit."

"Then why...?" She couldn't finish her question.

Lucky sighed and resumed his sea. It was a conversation that had to happen sometime. "I realize," he started slowly, "that I have no right to stake any claim in you. I've been gone for almost a year, and it would be foolish for me to assume you wouldn't have moved on. It would be unfair for me to want you to hold yourself back from your own life."

Elizabeth stared at him, and started to understand what was happening. She took his hand and said, "You are my life, Lucky. I couldn't move on from you. I didn't want to. Memory of you is sometimes all that keeps me going. Gram tries to help, but you know how she can be. Emily and Nikolas want to be there for me, but they have their own lives, too. Jason was my best hope for a while, but he left town." This second mention of Jason sparked a flame of jealousy that Lucky hoped wasn't obvious from the outside.

"Your love saved me," Elizabeth continued. "Now are you telling me I based my entire survival on something that's not there anymore?" Despite the question, she spoke as if she already knew the answer; she only wanted Lucky to realize it for himself.

"No," he answered her.

"You haven't moved on, then?" she asked.

"No."

"So you do still love me."

"Of course I do."

It happened so quickly Lucky wasn't sure of what he'd said. But he saw Elizabeth's face, truly bright for the first time since he returned, her eyes gleaming victoriously. Slowly he realized what had happened. He brought one hand to the side of her face. "I love you," he said, with some note of strength in his voice. "I never stopped loving you and the memory of you was the only reason I had the power to wake up every morning."

Despite the tears that welled in her eyes, Elizabeth was smiling. "I love you, too," she said soflty. Lucky silenced any further words with a kiss that had been burning in his mind for almost a year. He poured out all his heart into that kiss and for the first time since escaping from Helena's yacht he felt truly safe.

"You've got my heart," Lucky whispered, and Elizabeth smiled to hear the vows she had repeated herself only the evening before. He wound his arms around her body and held her as if he would never let her go again.

A/N: I will be computerless for about a week, so this will be my last update for a while. I apologize for the upcoming lapse.


	7. Triple L

Disclaimer: All the characters belong to ABC. I own more than enough pairs of shoes, but I don't own them.

"Triple L"

The jolt of the train arriving at the station woke Elizabeth from her dreamless sleep. She smiled to find herself leaning into Lucky's chest, his arms around her.

"Hi." Lucky's voice gently tickled her ear.

"Hi," she replied sleepily. "Where are we?"

"Campbell," he told her. "We can get to where we're going pretty easy from here."

Elizabeth looked out the window at the rapidly darkening sky. "How long will it take?" she asked, a small note of worry in her voice.

They gathered their bags and followed the streams of passengers into the station. Lucky led them over to a kiosk of phones and dug a single quarter out of his pocket. Elizabeth did not ask who he intended to call but stood by silently. She was watchful as if standing guard, looking for anything unusual while Lucky dialed.

"Talk to me," Luke's voice crackled over the connection.

Lucky took a deep breath. This wasn't going to be easy. "Dad, it's me," he started.

"Cowboy?" Luke almost screamed. "It is true, it's really true then. Your mother and I have..."

Lucky cut off his father's exclamations. "I know, Dad, I know. But there's no time now. Just know I'm safe and Elizabeth's with me. Did you get my message?"

"Keep the backpack ready," Luke responded. "You bet I did. What's the destination?"

"Run away from the Triple L, Dad," Lucky told him.

Luke understood and sighed, at once elated at knowing his son was alive and disappointed that he was out of his reach, at least for the moment.

"Did Mrs. Hardy get out of town alright?" Lucky's question brought Luke back to earth.

"Yes, Cowboy. Felicia took her and the kids to Texas for a while. She's safe."

"Good," Lucky exhaled. "I have to go, Dad."

"Wait, Lucky," Luke called to his son. "I have to have something to tell your mother. Are you...are you good? Are you okay?"

"I'm alive," Lucky said shortly. "Let that be enough for now."

Luke sighed again. "Okay. We'll see you soon, Cowboy. We love you."

"I know. Same here." Lucky hung up the phone his hand lingering on the receiver. His mind replayed the conversation word by word. Luke's mention of his mother had heartened him. Things hadn't been very good between them when he "died", and that event likely had one of two effects on their relationship. Either their rift had been repaired or it had been torn completely. The mention of Felicia was somewhat surprising. What did the Commissioner's wife have to do with any of this?

"Are you okay?" Elizabeth asked, nothing his thoughtful expression.

Her voice shook him away from his musings and he nodded. "Yeah. I'm fine. It's just...my parents." He didn't need to finish she understood him completely.

"You've been dead for almost a year, Lucky," she gently reminded him. "A lot was happening."

"You'll tell me?" he asked. Elizabeth smiled as if to say, 'Of course'. They exited the station and caught the first taxi they saw. They rode in silence., Lucky too engrossed in his thoughts for any real conversation. Elizabeth held tight to his hand, providing whatever kind of comfort she could. After a short time, the taxi dropped them off in front of a rather dingy looking boarding house, the name of "Wallace" above the door.

"Lucky? Where are we?" Elizabeth asked.

At first Lucky only smiled in response. He seemed suddenly to be engrossed now in happy memories. "We're here," he finally answered, suppressing a laugh. Through the front door and to the check in desk Lucky offered no further information but eventually he started to explain. "Once when we were living in Canada, I was maybe eight, I think, I decided to run away."

"Why?" Elizabeth interrupted.

"No reason, really," Lucky told her. "I'd spent my whole life running, but always with my parents. I think I just wanted to try it on my own. I only got this far." He gestured around him. "The guy who owns it was a friend of my dad's. He gave me a room and called my parents. They were here to get me the next morning." He laughed again, wondering at a time when running away had been an act of fun.

Later, after they had settled into their particular dingy room, Lucky asked Elizabeth to tell him about his parents. She told him the truth, at least as far as she knew it. She told him how his disappearance had more of less driven Laura to Stefan, how Luke had reacted to their relationship. Lucky listened to all of this with a stone face. Nothing she was telling him was really shocking. Elizabeth told him about Emily and Juan, about Carly and A.J. She filled him in on everything that had happened in Port Charles since last May. Lucky took all of it in, and then a thought suddenly occurred to him that had not before. "What happened with the art academy?" he asked.

Elizabeth was surprised by his question. She hadn't thought to mention it. "I got in," she told him.

"Why didn't you go?"

Elizabeth sighed. "I'd just lost you, Lucky. I could hardly imagine waking up in the morning knowing this, let alone starting a new life without you. I couldn't bear to leave a place you had called your home and go to place where you weren't there at all."

"I always knew you'd get in," Lucky said softly, smiling.

"You knew it better than I did," Elizabeth admitted. "Are you disappointed that I didn't go?"

Lucky shook his head immediately. "No," he assured you. "It's your life to order, Elizabeth. You could never disappoint me if you follow your heart."

Elizabeth looked at him for a moment in still admiration. She had noted since he returned how much he had changed, both in appearance and manner, but his heart hadn't changed. She knew this now.

"Do you know what you are?" she asked Lucky with a smile.

"What?"

"You're a keeper."

It took a moment for Lucky to remember their previous conversation, over a year ago, but when he did a broad grin spread across his face. "A keeper of what?" he played along.

Elizabeth moved closer to him, only inches from his face and said, "You keep making me love you."

Lucky wanted to kiss her, but at the moment could not stop staring at her face. It was the same Snow White face, pale milk skin and dark hair. Her hair was different, shorter maybe and darker, though perhaps, he thought, that was just because it was winter. Her eyes were different too. There was an age in them, not like the pain that had haunted her after the rape, but more like a ponderous knowledge of the world. "You are so beautiful," he breathed. "You have no idea how much I missed you, missed your face and your eyes and your voice. It was unbearable."

"I know how much I missed you," Elizabeth offered. "It was a physical pain, like getting punched in the stomach every time someone mentioned your name. Your...death was the second terrible thing to happen in my life, but this time it was worse because you weren't there to help me." She looked in his darkening eyes and began to understand what he had meant. "But I wasn't alone. I had Gram and Emily and Nikolas and Jason. I can't imagine having gone through losing you alone." She brushed a strand of dark blonde hair away from his face. "It must have been terrible for you."

Lucky didn't answer her supposition but leaned their foreheads together. He had been torn from her and secluded for so long that being so close now was almost incapacitating.

They talked an hour longer before finally crawling into bed and beneath the blankets together, huddled close for warm protection against the harsh winter storming outside the window. Elizabeth fell asleep quickly, her head cradled on Lucky's shoulder. He laid awake most the night, his eyes closed. He couldn't stop listening to the sounds of her sleeping and feeling the rise and fall of her chest with every breath.


	8. Reunited

Disclaimer: I own nothing.  
  
"Reunited"  
  
Elizabeth woke with the stream of sunlight across her face. She stretched out her arms, yawning and immediately noticed that she was alone.  
  
"Lucky?" she called. Only silence answered her. Elizabeth pulled her knees up to her chest, and though she remembered where she was and all that had happened, she couldn't help but think that it had all been a dream.  
  
Just as she was about to call for Lucky again the door to their room opened slowly and he appeared, bearing a plate full of donuts and a flask that she certainly hoped was coffee.  
  
"Good morning, Angel," he said, smiling. "I didn't want to wake you." He approached the bed and offered the plate. Elizabeth happily accepted a glazed donut which she consumed quickly, licking the sugary remains of her fingers when she was done. She caught sight of Lucky grinning at her, obviously suppressing a laugh.  
  
"What?" she asked. "Are you making fun of me?"  
  
"Never," Lucky assure her. "I was just thinking of the first time I took you for ribs at Eli's."  
  
Elizabeth smiled, remembering. "You can tell a lot about a person by how they eat messy foods," she repeated his theory.  
  
Nearly six donuts between them later, Elizabeth asked, "When do you think your parents will get here?"  
  
"They should make good time," Lucky told her. "The message your grandmother gave them would have made them prepared. I'm sure they left Port Charles less than an hour after I called last night, and they've probably traveled all night. They should be here tonight at the latest."  
  
"They're going to be so happy to see you," Elizabeth commented, somewhat unnecessarily. 'They've missed you so much."  
  
"I've missed them too," Lucky said. His voice trailed off and his mind returned for a moment to the past year, of how much it had cost him, how much the stupid Spencer/Cassindine war had cost so many people. His thoughtful expression was not lost on Elizabeth.  
  
"Something you want to talk about?" she asked gently. Lucky shook his head, though his protest was unconvincing. "No secrets, Lucky. Remember?"  
  
"It's nothing big," he admitted. "I just want this all to be over. Too many people have suffered and died because of this ridiculous war. I just don't want it to go any further."  
  
Elizabeth took Lucky's hand to show she understood. She knew he had suffered a great deal in the last year but she was too afraid to ask any details. She tried to change the subject. "Am I right to assume that we can't really get out and explore, stretch out legs?"  
  
"Sorry," Lucky said. "Can't run the risk we'll be seen. Wally can be trusted. He won't tell anyone we're here, but..."  
  
"I know," Elizabeth offered. "You know, I think I'm getting used to your kind of life. It isn't all sleeping under docks or breaking into department stores, but it has its perks."  
  
"Well you're a natural Spencer," Lucky told her.  
  
She smiled warmly. "That may be one of the nicest things you've ever said to me."  
  
Lucky frowned. "It that's true, then I need to say more nice things to you."  
  
"Like what?"  
  
Lucky edged closer to her. "I'm not sure, but I have all afternoon to come up with something."  
  
There was a sharp knock at the door that broke Lucky and Elizabeth from their near whispered conversation. They both looked startled at the door. Lucky glanced at his watch and rose to answer the summons cautiously.  
  
Wally Porter was standing at the door, a smile almost too big spreading across his face. "Hell, Lucky, if Natalie hadn't told me you were here, I'd never'd believed it was you." His voice was broad and boisterous and Elizabeth liked him immediately.  
  
"Hi, Wally," Lucky said, holding out his hand which Wally shook with some force. "Wally, this is Elizabeth Webber."  
  
Elizabeth smiled at their host's courtesy as he tipped his hat and said, "Nice to meet you, Elizabeth. Lucky, I'd love to sit here and chat but truth be told I'm here to deliver a message. Your old man called me not a half hour ago, said they were running from the Triple L." Lucky was heartened by this news. "Now, if that means what I think it means, your folks are almost here. Any chance you could fill me in on whatever intrigue you Spencer have gotten into now?"  
  
"I'd love to, Wally," Lucky said, "but I don't even know the whole of it. You better wait on my parents."  
  
The sentence was hardly out of his mouth when they heard the rush and rumble of footsteps in the stairs.  
  
"Where is he, Wally?" Luke's voice traveled into the room. A moment later he and Laura appeared at the door, out of breath and looking more anxious than he had ever seen them. Both stopped dead in their tracks when they saw Lucky. Luke was the first to recover. He pulled his son to him, held him tight. "There is mercy in heaven after all," he said, hardly able to stop his tears of joy or his shaking voice.  
  
Laura only stared at him as if, even when he stood there in front of her, she couldn't let herself believe he was really alive.  
  
Lucky pulled out of his father's embrace. He approached his mother carefully. "Mom," he started. "It's me. I promise you aren't dreaming."  
  
Laura started to cry, deep sobs echoing from her chest. She brought he hand to her mouth to try and stifle the sound but it was no use. She simply couldn't stop sobbing, nearly a year's worth of grief and regret and pain pouring out of her in one all-astonishing rush. Lucky wrapped his arms around his mother's shoulders and held her close. "It's okay, Mom. I'm here," he repeated again and again, in a soft and soothing voice. 


	9. The Next Move

Disclaimer: Still own nothing.  
  
Chapter 9: "The Next Move"  
  
It took hours, long into the night as Lucky and Luke shared everything they knew from their individual sides and the whole story was finally known. Lucky learned how Faison had manipulated his father before the fire and learned of the man's demise. Luke winced at Lucky's story of his capture and entrapment on Helena's yacht.  
  
"Next time I get my hands on that woman," Luke started, snarling, "I'm not gonna play any more games. She's gone, just as soon as I can squeeze the breath out of her throat."  
  
"Not if I get to her first," Laura said. Her voice was quiet, but her eyes were steel and hard, her face set.  
  
"Laura." Luke tried to comfort her.  
  
"No, Luke," Laura snapped, interrupting him. She shot off her seat and started to pace, too agitated to remain still any longer. "No. That woman has done her very best to destroy my life. She's taken both my sons from me, threatened their lives and mine, and I'm not going to let you take away my revenge. Helena is mine."  
  
Elizabeth sat back, amazed at the power she heard in Laura's voice. She had witnessed the woman's slow emotional breakdown after Lucky's disappearance. She hadn't seen her this forceful and determined in a long time. While looking in awe at his mother, Elizabeth noticed that Lucky had remained silent throughout this exchange.  
  
Finally he looked up to where his parents were staring warily at each other and said softly, "I don't suppose there is a way to end all this without killing Helena."  
  
Luke tore his eyes from Laura and stared in amazement at his son. He sighed, suddenly looking old and tired. "You always were a better man than me," he said. "But no, Cowboy, as long as Helena is breathing, this doesn't end."  
  
Lucky echoed his father's sigh, his one of resignation. "I just want it to end," he said finally. Elizabeth reached over and grasped one of his hands and held it tight in her own, offering what small comfort she could.  
  
A/N: I apologize for the short chapter today, but I've got more ready to upload soon. Thanks for your patience and your reviews! 


	10. A Four Corner Square, Part 1

Disclaimer: Nothing do I own, from my mind these characters have not grown.

Chapter 10: "A Four-Corner Square, pt. 1"

Laura was reluctant to leave her son's side, now that she had allowed herself to believe fully that he was really alive. However, Luke, being somewhat more observant to Lucky's state of mind, convinced her to leave the young couple alone for the rest of the night, especially after Elizabeth had been kind and tactful enough to back away for most of their joyful family reunion. Laura gave Lucky one last lingering hug before Luke finally dragged her out of the room, off to secure a bedroom of their own.

Lucky stood in the center of the room, watching his parents depart. Elizabeth stood right behind him, her arms wrapped around his waist, nuzzling her face against his shoulder. Though he desperately wanted to concentrate on her, Lucky could not forget the image that his retreating parents had created. He had seen immediately the unspoken distance between them when they arrived, but now only hours, later, things were different. It was almost as if the rift was heeling itself, without either Luke or Laura's notice. He could tell something had forged a divide between them, and he really didn't want to know what it was. He only hoped that his so called "miraculous" survival would cause another miracle in its wake, because that is what Luke and Laura needed: a miracle.

As if she were reading his mind (and Lucky wasn't altogether sure she wasn't) Elizabeth said, "They suffered so much when you disappeared...in more ways than you or I could understand." Lucky nodded but did not reply. Elizabeth continued. "I don't think they ever realized how important you were to their lives, you and LuLu. Even when you moved out and wouldn't speak to them, you were connected to them. You were keeping them whole." Though she couldn't see his face, she could feel the slight shifting in his body, betraying his uneasiness at being reminded of his break from his family. Elizabeth knew he was ashamed of how he had acted, but also knew that he wouldn't change that period of his life for anything. When he still didn't say anything, she continued again. "When you disappeared, it almost destroyed them; it destroyed a part of them. But now that you're back..."

"I can't fix my parents," Lucky interrupted. "I thought I could once, but I know better now."

Elizabeth turned him around to face her. "But you can fix them, Lucky, just be being here. By being alive when everyone in the world believed you dead. You've replaced something really important in both of them." Lucky opened his mouth to say something, but Elizabeth stopped him. "I'm not saying you can force them back to the way things were before, just that now that you're back, they may by able to find a way back together on their own."

Lucky ducked away from her, not wanting to give Elizabeth enough time to gage his reaction. He had come so accustomed to having to hide his emotions, he couldn't break the habit. Elizabeth knew him too well and followed him, continuing to talk. "That's what happened to me too, Lucky."

"What?"

"When I thought you had died, something inside of me died too. I didn't know how I managed to wake up every day, because it just broke me." To her credit, Elizabeth kept her voice from breaking, though it was very thin. "Every time, every morning I opened my eyes and for a few seconds I didn't know you were gone. Then I would remember and it was like losing you all over again."

Lucky turned slowly and sunk onto the edge of the bed. His eyes were wet with tears, but he remained silent. "I never realized just how much you had..." Elizabeth struggled to find the words to describe what she had felt. "At your...your funeral," she laughed a little at this, though it was forced, "your mother asked if I wanted to say anything, so I told everyone that you'd saved my life. That you'd literally picked me up out of the snow and fixed what was hurt and replaced it with something shining." She had not thought or spoken of her rape in what felt like months. Lucky's death had replaced it as the primary dark memory of her life, the one that had haunted her dreams and her waking life. "I know now how much of me you repaired and replaced, because know that it's been recovered, I feel whole again for the first time in a year."

She was crying too now, and Lucky rose to wipe the tears from her cheeks. Finally, he was ready to speak. "You say you woke up every morning with a few moments of blissful ignorance, forgetting what had happened?" Elizabeth nodded slowly. "I woke up every morning in fear, knowing that Helena could have had you killed during the night, just to spite me. You or Mom or Dad or LuLu or Emily or Nikolas, or anyone that I loved. Just as a warning. Every night brought the same fear, mixed with knowing that she could tire of the whole game and smother me in my sleep." Elizabeth's eyes were wide and she was struck dumb with horror. "Helena pretends to be this old-fashioned, dignified crime matron, but she is as low down as they come. She doesn't play by any rules and she doesn't look out for anyone but herself."

Elizabeth listened with a sympathetic horror, understanding a little of what Lucky had experienced. Jason once told her much the same fear; fear that his lifestyle would endanger Michael and others that he loved. But Jason had willingly signed on to a dangerous life. Lucky had been born into a dangerous family and had suffered because of it.

Lucky was shaking slightly and Elizabeth sat next to him and wrapped an arm around his waist. "At least it's over now," she said, trying to comfort him.

"But it's not over," Lucky argued. "It won't be over until Helena is...taken care of, and even then I doubt that would be the end of it." He rubbed his eyes, not sure if he was really tired or just tired of his life. "I shouldn't have even brought you," he finally said. "I should have taken you somewhere safe and come to find my parents alone. By bringing you here I've put you in the direct line of fire, and..."

Elizabeth stopped him immediately. "You didn't force me to do anything, Lucky. I came with you willingly. I know that your situation is dangerous, I always have. Was it or was it not you that took me to sleep under the docks when I couldn't stand being in Gram's home?"

"That was different, Elizabeth," Lucky told her.

"No it wasn't," she countered, "not really. You knew Helena was a threat, you knew things would be dangerous, but you also knew you could protect me. And I trusted you." She stressed her words, making sure Lucky heard her. "And I still trust you, Lucky, with my life and my heart, and anything else that comes along."

Lucky's head fell onto Elizabeth's and she could feel his tears on her skin. She lifted her head and held his to face her. For a long moment they only looked at each other, but Elizabeth broke the stillness and tilted her head to kiss him. She could taste the salt from their tears and felt Lucky's arms wrap around her body. Without thinking, as if on instinct, she started to lean back onto the bed, pulling Lucky down to her. She planted her hands on Lucky's chest, but she wouldn't have thought of pushing him away. She wanted nothing more in the world than to be there, in that moment, with Lucky's shadow over her body and his arms around her.

Suddenly Lucky sat up, catching his breath. Elizabeth pulled herself up after him, confused. "What's wrong?" she asked him.

"I don't know," he admitted. "The last year has been so terrible, I guess I just always feel like something is wrong."

Elizabeth crawled over in the bed, wrapped her arms around his body and tried to get as close to him as possible. "Well, things aren't perfect," she said with a smile, "but right here, right now, there's nothing wrong." She undid the first few buttons of his shirt and placed her hand directly over his heart. "There is nothing wrong with us."


	11. A Four Corner Square, Part 2

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, I'm only borrowing. Without intent to return.

Chapter 11 "A Four-Corner Square- pt. 2"

When Laura knocked on Lucky and Elizabeth's door the next morning, she received no answer. She knocked again and when still she had no reply, she slowly opened the door, willing the hinges not to squeak. She expected to find that her son had already risen and was out, possibly hunting down some breakfast. But when the door opened (soundlessly, thank luck), she found that her son was still asleep, with Elizabeth curled into his arms, her head resting on his chest.

Laura felt a pang in her chest and she looked away quickly. She knew he had done a fair amount of growing up in the year before his disappearance but it was all too clear now that her son was now a man. She couldn't even imagine what he had endured while Helena's captive, and she knew that she would never ask him. It would simply be too much for her to take. The human heart is only so flexible. Laura backed away, shutting the door behind her. She walked back to her own room and when Luke raised his eyes in question to her she replied with one of her own. "When did our son grow up?"

"When we forced him to," was Luke's response. "And even then he turned out better than the source material."

Laura nodded in agreement. She ambled aimlessly across the room and sat on the edge of the bed. Wally had given them a room with two beds, but in her distracted state she had planted herself on Luke's bed. She and Luke had spent almost the entire night in silence. She knew that he was almost afraid to talk to her, afraid that he wouldn't be able to control his temper.

"How did he turn out so well?" she asked. "After all we put him through, after all Helena must have put him through...how has he not turned cold? Hard?"

"I don't know," Luke admitted. "But it's not as if we didn't do at least some right by him. We taught him to think for himself. Maybe that's why he turned out better than us." He looked at the closed door and imagined for a second the scene that might have played itself out in his son's room after they'd left the night before. "I think Elizabeth has a lot to do with it, too," he said. "The love of a good girl can do wonders for any man."

"I know," Laura said, shooting him a significant look. "I have some experience in that department."

"Yes, I suppose you do."

They locked eyes and for the time, their current situation was obliterated. All they could see was nearly twenty years of marriage, love and devotion. The remembrance faded almost as soon as it had appeared, and they were left in the present, in a dingy old motel room on opposite sides of the room.


	12. Back Into the Fray

Disclaimer: I own noth'un.

Chapter 12: "Back into the Fray"

Luke went for breakfast and to have a talk with Wally downstairs while Laura paced their room upstairs. She had considered waking Lucky and Elizabeth, but really didn't want to disturb or embarrass them. Instead she waited in her room, contemplating all that had happened that morning. She was so wrapped in her thoughts, in fact, that she almost didn't hear when there was a knock on her door.

"Come in," she said, shaking herself alert.

Lucky's head popped through the open door. When he appeared fully, she noticed his clothes had been somewhat haphazardly adorned and his feet were bare. She guessed also, by the crumpled look of his hair, that he had just woken.

"Where's Dad?" he asked, noticing his father's absence.

"Talking to Wally," Laura answered him. "And getting breakfast, I think."

"Good," Lucky said. "I'm starving." He coughed a few times and rumpled his hair. Laura knew then for sure he had just woken, recognizing a trait and habit he had displayed since childhood. "Listen," he started again, "can I use your shower? Elizabeth's in ours, and you know, they're not very big, so..."

Laura watched his face closely for sign of a blush, but there was none. Yes, her son was a man now, all traces of innocence gone, outgrown or stolen. She nodded her reply, not trusting her voice.

"Thanks," he said, and he disappeared behind the bathroom door. By the time he emerged again, Luke was back. He was leading Elizabeth into the room.

"Have some grub," he said, dropping a greasy looking sack on the table. "It's not five star, but its food." He took the other bag and threw it at Lucky. "New clothes," he explained. Lucky took the bag and disappeared back into the bathroom. He reappeared moments later, grateful to be wearing clean clothes. He had been wearing the same digs since jumping off Helena's yacht. He stuffed the old clothes into the bag and buried them in the trash.

"Plan time," Luke said once Lucky had sat down with them. "Any ideas?"

"Well," Lucky started, "there's no need to us to track Helena down. She'll find us, no problem."

Luke nodded his agreement. "Where is the question, though," he said. "I'm sure she's already been home to look for you. Should we draw her further out?"

"I'm not so sure she's been back to Port Charles," Lucky said. "At least not personally. If Stefan or Nikolas caught wind she was snooping around they'd get majorly suspicious. They'd know something was up, and Helena can't afford to fight the whole of Spoon Island right now."

Laura cleared her throat and started to speak in that calm tone that meant she knew Luke was not going to like what she had to say. "I think we need to bring them in. Nikolas especially." Luke was up and ready to protest as soon as he heard the younger Cassidine's name, but Laura silenced him with a look. "Nikolas is Lucky's brother," she reminded him gently. "He needs to know that Lucky's alive, for one thing, and he would do anything in his power to help. And Stefan would help for Nikolas's sake. And for my sake."

"And out of pure hatred for Helena," Lucky inserted, not letting Luke eek out one Count Vlad remark. "I think Mom's right. Nikolas and Stefan will be able to fight Helena in ways we can't. We need them." He was silent for a moment, but he finally finished, "I miss my brother, Dad. I want to see him."

Luke grumbled and scratched his stubbly face, but managed to bite back all his snide comments. As much as he hated to admit it, his son did have a relationship with Nikolas. They were brothers, and no amount of heckling and hatred for Stefan on his part was going to change that. And after nearly a year of the vast emptiness Lucky's disappearance had left in his heart, he wasn't about to go and start anything with him now. Not after he had finally gotten him back.

"Okay, so the vampire coven is in on the plan," Luke said, "whatever is it."

Before they left Wally's, Lucky pulled Elizabeth aside. He seemed unsure of what to say, or how to start. Finally he just took hold of Elizabeth's hand and said, "I think I know what you're going to say, but you understand that I have to ask. What we are getting into, what we're about to start, is going to be very dangerous. You're familiar now with what Helena is capable of, but I've got to tell you, kidnapping me was tame." Elizabeth flinched, only slightly, but let him continue. "I have to ask you once to let me take you somewhere safe, somewhere out of the line of fire."

Elizabeth smiled and answered, "Not a chance. You're going to be hard-pressed to get rid of me ever again."

"That's what I thought you'd say," Lucky told her.

"But," Elizabeth ducked her head, not wanting to be overheard. "Can I call Gram and let her know where I am and what's going on?"

Lucky was sorry to have to tell her no, but that's what he did. "It's too much of a risk," he explained. "I'm not saying she's a danger, Elizabeth. If Helena was going to nab someone, to get at, Texas is a little inconvenient. But there's no reason to go out of the way and make her a target."

Elizabeth nodded, understanding. "I know you're right," she said. "I don't like it, but I know you're right."

Luke's head popped around the corner. "Ready to roll?" he asked.

"I think so," Lucky answered.


	13. Right By Me, Remembering

Disclaimer: Still nothing.

Chapter 13: "Right by Me, Remembering"

They rolled into Port Charles under cover of night. They set up camp in Sonny's safe house. Sonny was there to meet him and was so shocked to see Lucky he was speechless for several moments. He had taken Lucky's death so hard because the fire had been on his property, and even after the inspector's report had come back, he blamed himself for a long time afterward. Though he never told anyone, he was convinced that the fire had been staged as a warning to him. When he had finally recovered his voice he pulled Lucky into a hug and said, "It's good to see you."

"Thank you for helping us," Lucky said, not sure how to respond to Sonny's emotional reaction.

"No problem," Sonny answered. "And if there's anything else I can do, come to me and I'll do whatever I can. My men are here to help you if you need them. As drivers, protection, anything."

"Thanks, Sonny," Luke said, actively willing himself to forget all the animosity he had felt and directed towards his former partner over the past year. Sonny brushed him off easily, letting him know it was all forgotten.

-------

Lucky stood at the window in the bedroom, staring out at the utter blackness of the night. Though he was fairly sure that no one knew he was back, he was still worried. Word had circulated through town (thanks to Sonny and his organization) that Elizabeth had gone to Texas to join her grandmother, so she was hiding out in the safe house with him. Her presence had an incredible calming effect on him.

"Do you remember when we went to check out the art school?" Elizabeth's question drew him away from the window with the suddenness of it.

"Of course," he answered. "I remember every moment I spent with you. What made you think of it?"

Elizabeth crinkled her nose. "I was just thinking about Eli's ribs, which made me think about those awful ribs we had delivered to the hotel."

Lucky's stomach gave an involuntary lurch at the remembrance of those affronts to barbeque ribs. He smiled. "Yeah, they were pretty bad." He sat down on the bed next to Elizabeth and leaned back into the pillows.

"For the longest time," Elizabeth began slowly, "I regretted that night." Lucky stiffened at her words, but he let her continue. "I thought about it every day and I regretted it so much."

"Why?" Lucky managed to choke out.

"I thought you were dead," she tried to explain. "I thought you were gone forever and I regretted...not being ready." Lucky exhaled, finally understanding. "I thought I'd missed my chance and knowing that I'd never got to be with you...it ate away at me."

Lucky let his eyes drift away, as if focusing on some distant spot. "I thought about that night nearly every day, too," he said. "And I'm sorry to hear you regret it so much because that memory was a kind of safe place for me. I always thought of when we went to bed, and I was sleeping on the floor. After a while you came down to sleep on the floor next to me. You put your arm around my waist and I could feel your breath on my neck. It was the single most peaceful, complete moment of my life. I spent so many nights just thinking that if I could feel that breath again, maybe the whole nightmare would have proved to be just that...a nightmare and nothing else."

"I guess that's what grief can do to you," Elizabeth wondered aloud. "Make you doubt everything that you did, regret all the things you didn't do. Make you second guess your entire life together until you're not sure you ever did anything right."

"If it's any consolation for your year of doubt," Lucky started to say, "with me you never did anything wrong."

"Oh yeah?" Elizabeth was starting to smile. "What about all the insults I managed to throw at you and nearly every member of your family the day we met?"

Lucky laughed at the memory. "Well, that's different," he insisted. "You didn't know me then."

"What about the time I..."

"Don't be so smart," Lucky cut her off with a little gentle shove. "You know what I mean."

"I know what you mean," she assured him. "But I still have the right to give you a hard time about it."

"Yes," he admitted. "Yes you do. And I still have the right to do this." He fell on her with tickling fingers and Elizabeth laughed, a clear, lively laugh that neither one of them had heard in a very long time.


	14. With the Family

Disclaimer: I own the situation, but nothing else.

Chapter 14 "With the Family"

The next morning Lucky and Elizabeth woke shortly after dawn and gathered with his parents for a planning session. Luke looked as if he had been up through the night, plotting and formulating.

"The first thing we have to do is get in touch with Nikolas," Laura said. "That way he can start to help us from the very beginning." Luke made some grumbling noises, but did not comment. "I should probably go back to Wyndemere," she continued. "It would look suspicious if I weren't there. I can fill Stefan and Nikolas in on everything."

A dark shadow passed before Luke's eyes and Lucky could see his struggle to not comment on his ex-wife's relationship with his rival. Before his father had a chance to lose the struggle, Lucky spoke up. "We need to find some way for me to get together with Nikolas without being noticed. We could bring him here, but..."

"Someone needs to meet him and bring him here," Luke finished for him. "I don't think Sonny would appreciate us giving out the address of his safe house. But the meeting place has to be secluded, something secret that not many people know about."

"The church ruins, by the bluffs," Elizabeth suggested. Both Luke and Laura looked at her with raised eyebrows. "He and my sister used to meet there when they were going out," she explained.

"That sounds perfect," Laura said. "Should we just send one of Sonny's guards to pick him up?"

"No, I'll go," Elizabeth said. She half expected Lucky to protest, but he said nothing. "I think it would be better for Nikolas that there was someone he knew to meet him."

"You're right," Lucky said quietly. "You should go."

"Alright then," Luke said, clapping his hands together. "Laura will go back to the haunted mansion and the little prince will be brought back here. If you'll excuse me, I think I'm going to go off for a while before we get into a Cassidine love fest." He rose to his feet and stalked off before anyone could stop him.

Laura sighed when she heard the front door slam shut. She had thought things were getting better between them, but she had to realize that some things just can't be fixed so quickly. It would take time to get back what they had lost. She loved Stefan, loved how he had taken care of her when her world crumbled around her last year, but Luke was and would always be the love of her life. His coldness still struck her, no matter how much time had passed.

"I'll be going then," she said, rising to her feet. "I'll tell Nikolas where to meet you," she said to Elizabeth. As she passed him, she placed a hand on Lucky's shoulder. "I love you," she said, which she felt was so inefficient a way to express her feelings.

Lucky covered his mother's hand with his own. "I know, Mom. I love you, too." Laura kissed the top of his head and followed Luke's departed path out of the room.

Once they were alone, Elizabeth watched Lucky's face for a long time. His eyes were clouded and distant. "Thanks for not trying to make me stay here," she said.

This made him smile, at least a little bit. "I know better by now than to try to keep you from helping me. And it's not as if you're doing anything dangerous. All you have to do is go to the ruins and bring Nikolas back here without being seen. Not that hard, especially with Sonny's drivers to cart you around."

"Yeah," Elizabeth agreed. "I think I can handle that. You know, I've gotten pretty good at being sneaky," she said. "Do you remember the time I dragged you out to interfere because I thought Nikolas and Sarah were going to sleep together?"

"Vividly," Lucky answered, with another hint of a smile. "The misunderstanding of which was essentially your fault, if I remember correctly."

Elizabeth covered her face with her hands. "Please, don't remind me," she begged. "I was so awful then."

"Not so awful," Lucky said. "Just younger."

She knew immediately what he meant. She had been immature then and had been forced to grow up, to mature before her time. "I suppose so," she said softly.

Her tone of voice pulled Lucky away from the window. He sat next to her on the bed. "I love you," he said, his voice both low and seeming to seep into every core of her being.

Elizabeth smiled. "I love you, too."


	15. Brothers in the End

Disclaimer: 5, 4, 3...you know the rest.  
  
Chapter 15: "Brothers in the End"  
  
Elizabeth felt more than a little strange being escorted around town by Sonny's drivers, but she had to admit that it was probably the safest way to travel. She arrived at the ruins before Nikolas, but she did not have to wait long.  
  
"Elizabeth!" His voice arrived before his form. He bounded over to her and practically knocked her down with the force of his embrace. "Is it really true?" he asked. "Is he...?"  
  
"Lucky is alive and mostly well," she answered him quickly. "It's a miracle, really, but it is true."  
  
Nikolas breathed a sigh of a years worth of relief. However, one thing Elizabeth said worried him. "What do you mean, 'mostly well'?"  
  
"Well," she stalled, "he's healthy, as far as we can all tell. But he's different. Not much, but different," she said quickly. "He's older, much older."  
  
"I can't imagine what Helena's done to him," Nikolas said, without thinking when he saw the stricken look on Elizabeth's face, he quickly added, "but he's fine, you say, and I'll believe you. Can I see him?"  
  
She nodded yes, her mind still lingering on Nikolas's words. "He asked me to bring you to him. He can't really show his face, you know. He can't run the risk of being seen by anyone."  
  
"Who knows that he's alive?"  
  
"Me, his parents, you, your uncle, Sonny and some of his men," she answered quickly.  
  
"Sonny?" The near disgust in Nikolas's voice was evident. "Why is he involved?"  
  
Elizabeth took a few steps closer to him, reached out as if to calm him. "Sonny is a friend, Nikolas," she started, "You need to accept that. Lucky trusts him and that is enough for me."  
  
Nikolas nodded his obedience and followed her to the car. He was silent for a time, but his curiosity soon overcame him. "How did it happen? How did he get away, how did he find you?" His questions fell out, one on top of the other.  
  
"I don't know exactly how he got away," Elizabeth answered. "I'm almost afraid to ask him for full details. And I wasn't hard to find. I was in my old bedroom at Gram's. He wouldn't have known that I moved into my studio. He crawled right up and knocked on my window, just like he used to...on Valentine's Day of all things as well."  
  
Nikolas couldn't help but smile at this. "Your life does have a remarkable symmetry, doesn't it?"  
  
"Seems to, yes," she agreed.  
  
They soon arrived at the safe house and once inside, Nikolas hovered by the door for a moment, almost afraid to see his brother, to see how he was changed, how Helena had changed him. He took one deep breath and pushed the door open.  
  
Lucky was sitting just where Elizabeth had left him, by the window. He rose immediately, staggered towards his brother, and threw out his arms to hug him. "You have no idea how good it is to see you," he choked out.  
  
Nikolas was almost shocked to find, despite everyone's reassurance, that Lucky was indeed alive and standing in front of him. He held Lucky back and stared into his face for some time, letting the truth, the real truth of it attach itself slowly to his mind, so that might never be shaken. "I have some idea," he finally said, laughing and crying all at the same time.  
  
For some reason, which he truly could no describe, the gates that Lucky had tried to guard so carefully since his return had suddenly opened. All of the fear rushed out of him in full force, but so did the relief, the hope and the love. He hugged his brother close with one arm and pulled Elizabeth closer with the other.  
  
When he finally spoke it was low and quiet, almost in a whisper, but loud enough for both present to hear him. "I didn't let myself believe we'd win," he said. "I was almost sure we couldn't. But now...now I have certain hope."  
  
When he was finally forced to return home, Nikolas could barely contain himself. He assailed his mother and uncle with joy and appreciation when he saw them, despite their warnings that he should not let everyone in the house learn of Lucky's survival.  
  
"Your brother is still in considerable danger, Nikolas," Stefan warned him. "Your grandmother will not take his escape lightly."  
  
"I know," Nikolas said, more excited than ever. He was ready to fight, ready to take on his grandmother then and there. "But I'm ready to help to protect him. I'll do anything I have to."  
  
Laura reached for his hand. "I know you would." She sighed. "I wish I could have seen the two of you together this afternoon. I've missed that sight."  
  
Nikolas wrapped his arms around his mother. "You will have plenty of chances to see that, Mother. I promise." 


	16. Another Faith Restored

A/N: Sorry for the short chapters, but that's just how things have been breaking down.  
  
Chapter 16 - "Another Faith Restored"  
  
When Nikolas strolled towards the nurses' station at GH, he didn't notice Emily Quartermaine sitting in the waiting area, and at first she didn't notice him. Nikolas went straight for Bobbie. Laura was still worried about her son's well being, and asked that Bobbie be taken to him to check him out. Nikolas offered to give Bobbie the instructions to meet Sonny's driver, who would take her to the safe house.  
  
"What can I do for you, Nikolas?" Bobbie asked when she saw him coming her way.  
  
Nikolas leaned on his elbows against the counter of the nurses' station, trying to look casual and glanced around the floor. Finally, in as low a voice he could manage without seeming suspicious, he said, "There's someone who needs medical attention."  
  
Bobbie, after years of Spencer family experience knew immediately something was up. She gestured Nikolas to follow her to an empty set of couches and once they were alone and relatively secluded, she asked, "Who?"  
  
"Your nephew," Nikolas answered quickly. Bobbie only stared at him. The words hit a block in her mind. "Your only blood nephew," Nikolas repeated.  
  
Bobbie shook her head. "I don't know what you're trying to tell me, Nikolas, but..."  
  
"He's alive, Bobbie," Nikolas said, his voice barely above a whisper. "He's alive. He's in Port Charles. He's alive, but Laura is worried about him and she wants you to check him out."  
  
"Where?" Bobbie breathed. "Did Luke actually find him when he went to Greece? Why didn't he tell me?"  
  
Nikolas did his best to calm Bobbie who was rapidly becoming more animated. "Luke didn't find him," he softly explained. "He made his way back alone. He's hiding out in Sonny Corinthos's safe house."  
  
Tears sparked to Bobbie's eyes. "Can I see him now?" she asked. "My shift just ended."  
  
Nikolas gave her what comfort he could. "One of Sonny's drivers is waiting in the lower parking lot. He'll take you to the safe house." Bobbie nodded gratefully and brushed away her tears. "Obviously you can't tell anyone," Nikolas warned her. "Helena's still looking for him."  
  
"You don't need to explain that to me," Bobbie assured him. "I am a Spencer, after all."  
  
Nikolas laughed. "Yeah, I guess it sort of comes with the territory."  
  
Bobbie took a few moments to collect herself and then gathered her things and went off to find Sonny's driver. Emily watched her walk off towards the elevators and caught up with Nikolas.  
  
"What's going on?" she asked. "Bobbie looked kind of upset. Is something wrong with Lesley Lu?"  
  
Nikolas tried to shake her off. "No, LuLu's fine. It's nothing really. Laura just wanted to talk to her," he lied, "and since I had to be here anyway I offered to relay the message."  
  
"Oh." This didn't make complete sense to Emily, but she let it slide. "Why did you need to be here? Did you have an appointment or something?"  
  
"No. Just financial stuff," he told her. "Nothing major, just something that would be better done face to face." He glanced at his watch and said, "I'm sorry, Em, but I need to run. I'll see you later?"  
  
Emily nodded as he left in far too great a hurry. She knew something was up, but she couldn't for the life of her figure out what it might be.  
  
---------  
  
Lucky and Elizabeth were flipping through the Port Charles Herald when Bobbie came knocking at the door. Elizabeth rose to answer it and Bobbie practically barreled past her to see Lucky. Her expression upon seeing her nephew's face was one of complete elation. She crossed the room in quick steps and threw her arms around him.  
  
"Nice to see you too, Aunt Bobbie,' he said, the words muffled against her shoulder.  
  
It took a few minutes for the shock to wear off, after which Bobbie took the time to look over Lucky and make sure he was healthy. After a short examination she declared him to be very fit, considering what he had been through. His heart rate was high, but that was certainly to be expected.  
  
Bobbie stayed around for a while, if only to soak in Lucky's presence. Eventually, she had to leave to pick up Lucas, but not before promising to help him in any way he could ask of her.  
  
On her way to pick up her son, she crossed paths with Nikolas on the docks. As quietly and covertly as possible, she told him Lucky was just fine and healthy. She repeated her promise of service and hurried on her way.  
  
Nikolas walked by the water looking around to make sure he was alone, and pulled out his phone to call his mother.  
  
"Bobbie just got back from seeing him," he said into the phone with no greeting. "She says he's fine. A little high strung, but he's fine." He listened for a few beats and replied, "I know, Mother. I almost don't want to believe it until he can be safe in open daylight. I know...I love you too." He put the phone back in his pocket. He stared off out at the water and didn't notice the footsteps coming progressively closer, or the shadow growing by his side. 


	17. The Four Musketeers

Chapter 17 - "The Four Musketeers"  
  
"Who's fine?" Emily asked, startling Nikolas so that he practically jumped out of his skin.  
  
"Good Lord, Emily," he exclaimed. "You scared me. What are you doing here?"  
  
"I followed you," Emily told him matter-of-factly. "Who's fine?" she repeated.  
  
"I'm not sure what you mean," Nikolas delayed.  
  
Emily raised her eyebrows. "You were talking to Bobbie Spencer, both at the hospital and here and then you called your mother and said, 'he's fine'. Who's he?" Her voice was growing more and more desperate, that irrational hope in her heart just about ready to explode with anticipation.  
  
Nikolas looked her hard in the eyes for a few seconds. He knew she deserved to know about Lucky, knew that she'd loved him as much as anyone, but he was wary of including anyone else in their already crowded and dangerous cat and mouse game. But he also knew Emily wasn't going to give up. She knew there was something important going on and she would press everyone, him, Bobbie, Laura, even Sonny for information until she discovered the truth. Finally, after much internal debate, he relented. He gently pulled Emily closer and in a whisper, without mentioning his name, assured her what she had hoped was true.  
  
"I want to see him," she demanded. Nikolas started to protest but she cut him off. "No, Nikolas, I want to see him with my own eyes. You got to, Bobbie did...I want to see him."  
  
Nikolas surrendered. He explained that he would have to arrange for one of Sonny's drivers to take them to the safe house.  
  
"Sonny knows?" Emily asked, taken aback.  
  
"Yes, he knows. He's been hiding Lucky and Elizabeth in his safe house since they got back."  
  
"Well, that's no problem then," she said. She pulled out her phone and quickly dialed a number. "This is Emily Quartermaine," she started. "I need to talk to Sonny...no, I need to talk to him now, it's urgent...Sonny? Yes you can. You can take me to Lucky." Nikolas gave her a warning look when she said the name out loud, but she ignored him. "Now," she continued. "I know where he is, I just need you to take me to him...Pier 12...thank you, Sonny." She hung up and turned back to Nikolas. "Someone is coming to get me," she explained, somewhat unnecessarily.  
  
"That was quick," Nikolas joked.  
  
Emily was all seriousness. "I'm not moving from this spot unless it's to go see him." After some beats of silence she asked, "I don't suppose you could explain any of this, could you?"  
  
He shook his head. "Not here, not now."  
  
"I figured as much."  
  
Sonny's car finally arrived, and they were surprised to find that Sonny had arrived as well. "You didn't need to come, too," Emily assured him. "Nikolas was here."  
  
"When Jason left I promised I'd look after you when I could," Sonny said.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
Once inside Sonny's car, Nikolas tried to explain what he knew. He recounted the course of events from Lucky's appearance at Elizabeth's window to his trip to the safe house to reunite with his brother.  
  
"How did he get off Helena's yacht?" Emily asked, thoroughly engrossed with the story. "He must have had guards?"  
  
"I don't know, Emily," Nikolas told her. "I don't think Lucky really wanted to talk about it...he didn't say anything about it to me and no one else offered me any details."  
  
Emily continued to barrage Nikolas with questions until the car pulled through the woods up to the safe house. When the house came into view she became cautiously silent. Sonny opened the door for her, but she couldn't move. "It's okay, Em," Nikolas said gently. "It's gonna be fine."  
  
Emily nodded, as if trying to psyche herself into being prepared. Nikolas walked her to the door, gave her a squeeze of the shoulders and, after a quick knock, used the key Sonny had given him and opened the door.  
  
When she actually saw his face and looked into his eyes, Emily was stunned. She wanted to scream, cry and laugh all at the same time. She was so still that Lucky had to come to her. He enveloped her in his arms and for a moment no one said anything. Both Nicholas and Elizabeth stood back, knowing that Lucky and Emily's friendship stretched back farther than either of them.  
  
When she finally emerged from Lucky's hug, Emily, wiping the tears from her eyes, smacked him across the chest. "If you ever, I mean ever, Spencer, scare me like that again, I'll kill you myself. Not that it would do any good. Apparently you lot have nine lives or something."  
  
"Well, this was hardly my fault," Lucky argued, automatically adopting the jokingly combative mode he and Emily had always shared. "How are you?" he asked, getting serious.  
  
"Who cares?" Emily scoffed. "I'm fine. I've been fine. Are you okay?"  
  
"Loaded question, Em," he answered.  
  
----------------  
  
The four of them sat on the bed and if one looked at the snapshot of the group out of context they would think it was another average day for the friends. If only for a moment they were happy and appeared carefree.  
  
For the next hour, Lucky, Nikolas and Elizabeth attempted to bring Emily up to speed while still keeping the major dangerous details off the table. They tried to avoid any mention of their piecemeal plans, but Emily was shrewd and, knowing Lucky as long as well as she did, she knew there was something she wasn't being told.  
  
"Spill it, Spencer," she ordered. "For better or worse, I'm in this now – you are not going to leave me out of this."  
  
"Emily," Nikolas started to caution, "this isn't like the Four Musketeer days. This is real stuff and it's going to be very dangerous."  
  
"I don't care," she protested. "My life has not exactly been a poster example of domestic tranquility. I can handle myself and I can help. I know it."  
  
Nikolas shook his head. "You don't know how vicious..."  
  
"As far as I'm concerned," Lucky cut him off, "you're in."  
  
Both Emily and Nikolas turned from their mini-argument and looked at him, surprised. He had spoken so suddenly, but he was calm and appeared perfectly serious.  
  
Nikolas opened his mouth as if to protest, but Lucky cut him off by raising his hand. "I think Emily has a pretty good idea what she's up against," he said. "She's not blind and Helena's not exactly subtle. She has just as much right to be involved as Elizabeth does and I know I have about as much hope of talking her out of it as I do of talking Elizabeth out of it." The girls smiled at each other and nodded. "And I may know better than anyone what Emily is capable of. So...if my word mean's anything, she's in."  
  
"That's good enough for me," Elizabeth agreed.  
  
Nikolas grumbled under his breath, but agreed.  
  
Emily gave a little cheer. "Okay, now really fill me in. What's the plan?"  
  
Quickly, Lucky told her everything that they knew and everything that was on the table. Unfortunately it wasn't much. "Whenever we decide anything else, we'll let you know, either through Nikolas of Sonny."  
  
As Emily was pulling on her coat, ready to leave Lucky gave her one last warning. "Obviously, you can't tell anyone about me," he said. "Try not to talk to Aunt Bobbie too much – or at all really – so no one will think the two of you know something everyone else doesn't. Just keep going with your life as normally as possible. If you can, make mention of Elizabeth being in Texas with Audrey. Anything to make everything look normal."  
  
"I will," Emily promised.  
  
He gave her one last hug and, making sure Nikolas wasn't listening, whispered, "Hug Lila for me."  
  
A sly smile crossed Emily's lips and she winked. 


	18. A New Lock

Chapter 18 – "A New Lock"

"If this works out," Elizabeth started to say, "all of this...intrigue, or whatever you call it...have you thought about the future? Our future?"

Lucky sighed. She'd been quiet for so long he knew something big was coming.

"You used to tell me how you thought about the future," she continued. "Do you still do that?"

"I didn't for a long time," he answered her. "I couldn't. When all you have are four grey walls around you, it's hard to think of anything beyond the next ten minutes. After Helena showed, I started thinking about how to get out, which got me thinking about what might happen if I actually did get out. A few nights I dared let myself dream about you – about finding you – but that was rare. I couldn't risk it otherwise."

"And now?"

"And now, maybe there's a chance of the future again," he answered her. "A chance to get that image back. But things can never be what we first dreamt of Elizabeth, you know that, right?" She nodded. "But there are new dreams to make, new futures to have."

"Best to start dreaming as soon as possible then, wouldn't you say?" Elizabeth asked.

"Go ahead," he told her. "Did you make any plans after you decided not to go to art school? What did you want to do?"

She shrugged. "I didn't really have any plans. I set up a studio to work in, but I haven't done anything that actually interested me in a long time. I didn't have the heart to make any plans."

"Do you know now? Any ideas?"

Elizabeth sighed and nestled into his arms. "Right now, I'd say that I could be content with you and a little home and a place to paint...now that I have my inspiration back."

"Sounds nice," Lucky said. "And idea of where that little home might be?"

This made her sit up. "Well," she hedged. 'It's in Port Charles, actually." She searched Lucky's eyes for a hint of disappointment, but she found none. "The New York dream just seems a little...I don't know. It's passed. I don't think that's who we are anymore."

"I was hoping you would say that," Lucky sighed. "The idea of staying in Port Charles is rapidly becoming very, very attractive to me. I like the idea of home."

"So what would you want to do?" she asked. "The bike shop isn't exactly around anymore."

Lucky laughed. "I have no idea. I'm not really qualified for anything except espionage."

Though he was laughing, his last comment scared Elizabeth. "You wouldn't ever work for Sonny, officially, would you?" she questioned him.

Lucky recognized her fear. "No," he assured her. "I know Sonny's a good guy, but I could never deal with his line of work. I don't want anything to do with death, even in a roundabout way. I don't know. Maybe I'll just start working on the club. Dad's certainly not putting much effort into it these days."

They were both silent for a while, lost in their thoughts, before Elizabeth spoke again. "It almost seems strange to be thinking about this again," she said. "All these promises seem so long ago. You know, I went to Mt. Hebron on Valentine's Day," she told him. "That night."

Lucky looked at her, surprised. "Why?" he asked her.

She shrugged. "I think I was trying to let you go. I went there to say those worlds again, to say goodbye. But it didn't work. I dreamed about you that night, too." Lucky raised his eyebrows in question. "I had a dream about the fire. I was still dreaming about it when you knocked on the window."

"I'm sorry," Lucky whispered. A dark shadow passed over his eyes. "I'd love to go back to Mt. Hebron. Preferably not in the middle of a blizzard, though," he said with a hollow laugh. "Sometime in the spring. I think we have new promises to make."

This caught Elizabeth's attention. "What do you mean?"

"Things have changed, Elizabeth," he said. "We've both changed. You said it yourself. The New York dream isn't who we are anymore."

"Who are we then, Lucky?" Elizabeth asked. Her brown eyes shot straight through him, questioning him.

"I don't know," he answered her as honestly as he could. "I think we need some time to figure that out." Elizabeth's expression strained and he quickly reassured her. "We will have time to figure it out, Elizabeth. I promise you that. I will not let Helena separate us in the mortal world again. She'll be gone from our lives forever, or I will die trying."

"Please don't say that," Elizabeth begged him. "That's not really the kind of promise I want to hear." She tried to smile as if she was joking, but she was very much sincere.

"I don't know what else to promise you right now," Lucky said honestly. "I can't promise you that I'll never leave you, because you know what kind of danger we face. I can't promise that I'll never hurt you or let anything happen to you for the same reason. We can't see what the future holds, we can't always control it. I'm not sure there's any such thing as permanence."

"Then don't make me any promises," Elizabeth said. "Not until you can be sure you can keep them."

"I promise," Lucky joked.

Elizabeth laughed, despite herself. "I love you."

"I know," was his answer. "I love you, too."


	19. And so

Chapter 19 "And so..."

Finally, everything was in place and everyone knew their job and what they had to do. Nearly everyone was anxious, but Lucky was strangely calm. He was ready for the end to come, however it would happen. He felt he'd been living in limbo for far too long.

For two days, Laura laid low in Wyndemere. She spoke to no one and no one outside the plan knew where she was or what had happened to her. On the third day, Amy got nervous and called Luke, asking where her sister was. Eager to get tongues around the town wagging, Luke was short and gruffy, but radiated worry when he told her he hadn't heard from his estranged wife in several days.

"Ask Count Vlad," he told her. "If anyone knows where she is, it's him."

Amy did just that when Stefan arrived at the hospital that afternoon. She didn't get a proper response because Stefan, once he heard that Laura's family didn't know where she was either, appeared even more anxious than her. Quickly, he explained to Amy that he and Laura had argued three nights ago and Laura had stormed out of the mansion with the intent of leaving Spoon Island in the middle of the night. Because he'd been angry himself he didn't follow her. But that morning he'd spoken to the pilot of the launch and discovered that Laura hadn't left the island that night, at least not by Stefan's boat. He'd hurried in to the hospital to see if anyone had heard from her.

Of course all of this was a lie. Laura was perfectly safe hiding in one of Wyndemere's many secret passages where not even Mrs. Lansbury knew she was there. Stefan's story was good enough to sway Amy though, who became convinced something had happened to Laura, something Luke didn't even know about.

When Amy told Stefan about her earlier conversation with Luke, his face grew dark.

"I'm afraid my mother may have something to do with this," he told her. "I'd hoped Spencer had done something foolish but...at least I know Spencer wouldn't hurt her. Mother on the other hand..."

Amy knew enough about Helena Cassidine to understand why Stefan looked so anxious. She hurried back to the nurses' station and Stefan went to the PCPD to report Laura as missing. He knew Amy would more than do her fair share of spreading the news of Laura's "disappearance".

At the police station, Lt. Taggert took on the case, though he was doubtful much could be done at the time. He said there wasn't enough evidence to put out an APB on Helena, but being more than aware of her reputation he'd certainly keep an eye out for her. Stefan was appropriately brusque and unpleasant as anyone would have expected him to be.

When he returned to Wyndemere, he waited until Mrs. Lansbury was occupied with dinner preparations to sneak into the hidden passage and fill Laura and later Nikolas in on everything he'd done that morning, about all the information he'd spread. Laura almost had to laugh at the whole situation. Amy would have the word spread in no time. "I hate having to do this," she said, suddenly sober again. "Having to make everyone worry about me like this. I promised them all I'd never do it again, but here I am." She raised and dropped her hands in futile protest.

"Don't blame yourself," Stefan reassured her. "It's for the greater good. Imagine how relieved your sister and your mother will be when they find out not only are you safe, but Lucky as well."

Laura wiped away the tears that had unexpectedly sprung to her eyes and nodded her head with a steely determination. "I know," she said. "I know."

---

In the meantime, Emily risked daily trips to Sonny's safe house to visit Lucky and Elizabeth to try and iron out their end of the deal. In general, Lucky only told them what was needed and they concocted their plan on their own, with Sonny's help. It gave Lucky more than a little pause, but he knew better than to suggest they take a less dangerous route. They were in it for the long run now, and neither would hear a word about backing down.

And soon enough, just as was planned, Helena caught the trickle down news of Laura's disappearance. Not wanting to make herself an easy target, she had not actively pursued a chase for Lucky and had sent out numerous feelers to track him instead. She was determined to get him back, if for no other reason than payback for having thwarted her. When she heard the news, she was certain that her old foe had reunited with her son, and that following Laura's trail would lead her back to her captive. And the best way to track Laura would be to start at the beginning...Spoon Island. She set her sights and left straightaway for Port Charles.


	20. Interlude

Chapter 20 – Interlude

(February 28, 2004 – Port Charles, New York – 2:45 A.M.)

Lucky watched every breath that Elizabeth took. He had crawled out of the bed nearly an hour ago, hoping not to wake her, and now that he was about to leave (he wanted to think 'maybe for the last time' but the more insistent half of his brain wouldn't let him) he almost wanted to, just so he could say something, goodnight or goodbye, or I'll see you tomorrow. Something. Instead he just watched her sleep, knowing that the next time he saw her, everything would be different. Whether the change would be for good or ill he didn't know.

The smallest, softest of knocks broke him out of his thoughts. He quickly made for the door, looking behind him to make sure the sound had not woken Elizabeth. She hadn't so much as stirred. One of Sonny's drivers appeared when he opened the door, and Lucky held a finger up to his lips to keep him from speaking. He only nodded that he was ready, and, after daring to take one last look at the girl he loved, followed the man out into the night.


	21. The Last Stand

Chapter 21 – "The Last Stand"

(February 28, 2004 – Port Charles, New York)

Helena's yacht blew into Port Charles just after sunset. She dropped some of her more trusted guards by the Spoon Island launch, just in case someone decided to make a surprise, and unfortunate, visit to the Cassadines that evening.

At the very same time, Elizabeth and Emily were crouching behind the bushes on the docks by the launch. They watched Helena's three guards as they lurked near the water's edge, talking quietly amongst themselves.

"Are there more, do you think?" Emily whispered.

"I don't know," Elizabeth answered. "I don't think so. This is pretty much what Lucky told me to expect."

"Are you ready?"

"As I'll ever be," Elizabeth said. "All we have to do is wait for the signal." She glanced through the binoculars again, peering across the water at Wyndemere. She kept her eyes on the window, waiting for Nikolas's signal. A few minutes later, a dim light flickered on in the corner parlor.

"That's it," she said, turning to Emily. "Let's go."

Emily gave her a quick, grim nod and they shuffled slightly forward. Emily pulled the small sidearm from her waist, and though she knew it was only loaded with blanks, her hands shook.

Elizabeth noticed her friend's hesitance and asked. "Are you sure about this?" she asked. "I think I can manage this myself. It's not too late."

Instead of answering, Emily asked, "Did Lucky ever tell you about the time we went to New Mexico? And we camped out, and I got trapped in a cave with a rattlesnake and he got knocked out by the falling rocks?" Elizabeth smiled and nodded, letting her continue. "Well, if he can go through all that for me, not to mention the rest of the laundry list of favors and saves he's perpetrated over the years...well, I think I can do this for him."

"Okay." They both took a deep breath and popped up from their hiding place. Emily aimed her weapon at the guard closest to her and fired.

The noise broke the settling silence of the night and immediately all three guards turned in their direction and pulled out their weapons. Emily and Elizabeth were already on the move and they made chase, leaving the launch wide open.

Shots were fired in their direction and one connected with Elizabeth's shoulder. She stumbled only for a moment but out of sheer determination kept running down the docks, staying in the shadows.

They ran until they reached Sonny's warehouse and sought cover inside behind some crates. Catching their breath, Emily whispered to Elizabeth, "Are you okay?"

She tentatively felt around her shoulder and sighed in relief. "I'm fine," she answered. "It hit the vest." She patted her chest, ultimately grateful for the Kevlar vests that protected both her and Emily.

They continued to circle around the warehouse, moving from the cover of one large crate to another. The guards soon caught up to them and split up to start searching.

------------

On Spoon Island, Helena stalked into the halls of Wyndemere, not sure that she should be happy that Laura had apparently deserted her son or continuingly frustrated that she had yet to find Lucky. She left two guards by the door and took her most recently obtained side man, Milos, inside with her.

As soon as Mrs. Lansbury, frightened but as always polite, had ushered her out of the main hall, Nikolas appeared, silent and stealthy, armed with a gun he sincerely hoped he wouldn't have to use and a very sturdy wooden beam. He slowly eased up on the two guards whose attention was focused ahead, across the water.

Nikolas caught the first guard unawares with a brief but forceful blow over his head. The second reached for his gun but Nikolas knocked it out of his hand, swinging the beam like a baseball bat. He swung once more and connected to the guard's chest. When both guards were knocked out, he stripped them of their weapons and dragged them inside, chained them to the staircase and then proceeded to join his uncle and Luke in the parlor where his grandmother was beginning to get so anxious she didn't even bother to try and ingratiate herself to him.

"Hello, grandmother," he greeted her, crossing the room to the window where he flicked on the table lamp to signal to Emily and Elizabeth on the docks. "I bet you're wondering why you're here."

Helena raised her eyebrows at her grandson, and answered, "You make it seem as if I was summoned, and dear Nikolas, you must know I never appear anywhere unless there's something beneficial for me." Her grandson's attitude had momentarily shaken her, and she tried to talk her way around it. "I came because I heard of Laura's disappearance. I had assumed she had merely left my useless son for Spencer...again. But, given tonight's notable presence of Mr. Spencer himself, I must have assumed incorrectly. Perhaps the woman has finally wised up and left the both of you."

"She hasn't left me, Mother," Stefan said quickly before Luke could say anything in defense of Laura.

"You certainly don't think I've done anything with her, do you?" Helena asked, in a not-so-innocent voice that sounded as if she truly wished she had thought of doing such a thing.

"No, Mother," Stefan said. "But there is someone else you've stolen away with."

Before Helena could respond, the secret door behind Stefan slid open and Lucky and Laura both appeared from their tunnel hiding place. Milos the bodyguard was quick to act, but not quickly enough. Nikolas had a gun trained at his head before he could do anything.

Helena stared at her former captive, but Lucky spoke first. "Hello, Helena. Surely you can't be surprised to see me. You had to know I didn't just disappear off the face of the planet." He reached out his hand to catch the gun Nikolas lobbed in his direction, one of the two that had been confiscated from Helena's felled guards, the other of which Nikolas proceeded to toss to Luke.

"Of course not, Lucky," she said, regaining her composure. "I only thought you were wiser than this. I'm sorry to find I was wrong."

"I'm sure you are," Luke entered the conversation. "I'm afraid we've reached the end of the road, Madame Cassadine. Other than your latest Boy Friday, there isn't anyone left to help you."


	22. Hat Trick

Chapter 22 – "Hat Trick"

Emily and Elizabeth continued to circle around Sonny's warehouse, biding their time. Helena's three guards were still searching for them, having now split up to cover more territory. The girls were silent as they crept around, keeping together. If any of the guards happened upon them, they'd have a better chance fighting him off together than alone.

"Come on out, girlies," one of the guards taunted. "You're stuck in here, aren't you? And we'll find you out. We're very patient men."

The girls paused at a corner and contemplated which direction to go. Emily pointed to their right and Elizabeth, finding no alternative that looked better, nodded her head in agreement. They both started to move forward, but they had scarcely moved a single foot when one of Helena's guards landed in their path, having jumped from the level above. He yelled for his cohorts and backed the girls into the corner.

"I know who you are," he said, pointing the gun to Elizabeth. "Don't think that I wouldn't. You're Spencer's girl, and I'm sure you know where he is. And you're going to tell me."

"And if I don't?" Elizabeth countered, trying to buy as many extra seconds as possible.

"Oh, I think you will," the guard threatened. "Madame Cassadine has told us all about you. An unfortunate history, I'd say. It would be a shame to have to live through it again."

A brief shock of terror flew through Elizabeth's body, but she didn't move. The other two guards approached the small group and both took hold of Emily's arms to hold her back as the other continued to advance upon Elizabeth. He reached out for her hand and pulled her sharply closer to him, his gun now aimed lazily at her back.

Suddenly, a bright light flooded into the warehouse and a loud voice boomed out.

"You are surrounded. Surrender your weapons and your hostages and come forward with your hands empty and up."

Emily couldn't help but smile as what seemed like half the Port Charles police force barreled onto the scene, led there by an "anonymous" phone call tip off that someone was raiding Sonny Corinthos' warehouse.

A/N: A short one today, in a pathetic attempt to draw out suspense. :) The end is coming soon, though, I promise.


	23. A Better Man

Chapter 23 – "A Better Man"

Milos was covered by both Nikolas and Lucky while Luke was barely even blinking at the risk of Helena getting away.

"So where are we now?" Helena asked, looking around the room at her captors. "We seem to be at an impasse."

"No, no," Luke teased her. "This is the end of the road, Foxy Lady. There is no where else for you to go. No impasse. Endgame. Do not collect $200, do not pass Go, go directly to hell."

Helena now turned her attention to Lucky, who was carefully gauging her reactions. She latched on to his gaze, and they stared eye to eye for some time. In the silence that reigned while they stood off, Lucky let his gun arm fall to his side, though he never moved his finger from the trigger.

"So you plan to kill me then?" she asked quietly, as if only Lucky could hear her. "You have turned out to be just like your father, Lucky. Heartless, bloodthirsty and rash."

"Takes one to know one," Luke quipped off to the side.

But Lucky's features were starting to soften. It didn't matter to him that her motives were utterly skewed. He knew she was least partly right. He wasn't these things she was accusing him of. He laid down his weapon on the nearest table. "No,' he contradicted her. "No, I'm not."

Luke stared at his son in disbelief but it was Laura who bolted forward. She snatched the gun off the table and pointed it directly into Helena's chest. Her hands were shaking and her eyes were practically flaming.

"You have succeeded in taking my life away, bit by bit, piece by piece. You've stolen my time, my dignity and my sons." Though her hand was still shaking, her voice was as still and strong as if she were speaking to a child who had misbehaved. "I will not let you take one more second from my life, or my sons' lives, or anyone else's."

Both Luke and Stefan eased towards her, attempting to calm her, but she barely saw them. She had tunnel vision and all she could see was Helena's face and her sparkling, mocking eyes. It was Lucky's voice that finally broke through her furious haze.

"Mom."

Laura blinked away the smirking vision before her eyes and turned to see her son, her joy and light. He was holding out his hand to her and in his eyes was a plaintive request: give up the gun. The raging desire for revenge was still strong in her, but her son's immobile and steadfast presence held her back.

"Please, Mom. She's not worth it, I promise."

This was enough to break through to her. She rubbed away the tears that were blinding her and the gun fell to her side. "You're right, Lucky," she said. Her whole body relaxed and she sighed. "You're right."

For a few moments, it was as if time had stopped. Silence reigned as Lucky moved to take the gun back from his mother. The entire room seemed to relax, as if someone had opened the windows and let out all the stale air. Finally, Lucky took hold of the gun and set the safety, breathing a sigh of relief.

"Stupid girl," Helena cackled. She couldn't seem to keep from laughing. "You really are a silly, stupid girl. You were never good enough to be a Cassadine...or a Spencer for that matter."

"My dear woman," Luke said, "You wouldn't know what it takes to be a Spencer if it bit you in the ass."

"Indeed," Helena sneered. In a quick motion, she drew a small silver gun from a hidden pocket in her designer jacket. Behind her, Milos was taking a similar action. Nikolas had relieved him of his sidearm, but he produced a slim switchblade from his sleeve. He had the edge at Nikolas' throat in an instant.

No one moved. Milos had Nikolas immobilized and Helena had both Laura and Lucky in her sights while Luke and Stefan each had a weapon aimed at her head.

"Now this would be an impasse, darling Luke," Helena said, calmly. "Now there are two ways out of our little standoff. The best solution would be that I'll leave and you'll let me. No one gets hurt."

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that, Madame Maleficent," Luke answered. "You see, if I let you go, you'll just come back again, like an atomic termite. And I can't have that."

"I'm afraid you'll have to. You don't have another choice."

Luke shook his head. "There's another choice. I may not be able to think of it right now, but give me a few minutes. None of us is going anywhere."

While he was thinking, Lucky was trying to catch his brother's eye. When he finally got Nikolas' attention, he communicated his suggestion as simply as possible. A look only, but a look that Nikolas understood very well. He shook his head an infinitesimal amount, acutely aware of the blade waiting so close to his skin. When Lucky silently insisted, Nikolas dared to mouth the word, "No" to his brother.

Lucky's eyes and expression softened and he smiled, if only a little bit, as if to say, "What other choice do we have?"

Nikolas glanced over the room at Luke and Stefan's rigid stances and Laura, weaponless and in Helena's sights, and knew Lucky was right. He waited until he was sure no one was watching him. Milos maintained a hard grip, but his eyes were fixed on his silver-haired mistress. He signaled one last to Lucky, the slightest of all possible nods and then sprung into action. He twisted out of Milos' grip and wrenched the knife out of his hand. In the confusion that followed, two shots were fired and three bodies fell.

The instant he saw Nikolas move, Lucky had forced his mother to the ground and shielded her body with his own. Helena had reacted to his movement just as quickly and fired in panic. Her shot connected with Lucky's shoulder.

It was the second shot that brought the action to a freeze. For a moment, Luke, Laura, and Nikolas watched Helena in a stunned silence. Helena herself seemed stricken as she slowly turned on her heel, holding the new wound in her chest. She turned to face Stefan, who had yet to lower his arm. He seemed as stunned by his action as anyone else.

Blood began to seep and soak Helena's cream colored suit. "Son?" she managed to whisper as she slowly sank to the floor.

"Not anymore, Mother," Stefan said. "No more. It's done."

The last few moments of Helena's life were spent in her son's eyes, wondering just when he became strong enough to defy her.

"Cowboy?" Luke knelt to where Lucky was slowly pulling himself up. "Are you okay?"

Lucky almost had to laugh. "It's nothing," he assured his father. "I've been much worse than this before. Are you okay, Mom?"

Laura didn't answer, but pulled him close to her. With her other hand she dragged Luke into their embrace.

Before anyone could speak, there was a crash at the door and Lt. Taggert barreled into the room, tailed by a handful of PCPD foot soldiers.

"Relax, Hopalong," Luke said. "You're a little late to the party, as usual. I'm afraid our guest of honor has checked out." Taggert was too busy staring at Lucky in disbelief to hear Luke's quip. "Be surprised later, Taggert, there's more to do now."

This jab Taggert did hear. His eyes drifted from Helena's fallen body and the small silver gun by her hand to the weapons in Luke and Stefan's hands then back to Lucky and the growing bloodstain across his clothes. "I'm going to take a blind guess and say 'self-defense'," he said.

"Good guess," Luke answered.

Taggert turned to his officers, asking one to notify the paramedics and the others to cuff and arrest Milos. He then extended a hand to Lucky and helped him to his feet.

"I'm so happy to see you, I'm going to pretend I didn't see the two unconscious men tied to the staircase."

Lucky shot an ironic smile at Nikolas and said, "I'm sure I haven't got a clue what you're talking about."

"You'll be glad to know your two little lookouts are perfectly safe," Taggert told him, filling him in on the situation he had found in Sonny's warehouse with Elizabeth and Emily. "That was a large risk you took getting them involved."

"Well, if you could have managed to talk them out of it, you're a more persuasive man than I am," Lucky joked.

Outside, while the paramedics attended to his wound as best they could, Lucky attempted to answer all the questions Taggert was throwing at him. The detective, in his turn, could only shake his head at the unbelievability, the sheer lunacy of it all; kidnapped, held hostage, midnight escapes (on water, no less), hideouts, revenge. It was like something out of a pulp crime novel.

"Lucky? Lucky!" Elizabeth ran to him, ignoring and barging past all those who attempted to hold her back. She threw her arms around him and though a sharp pain hit him and he couldn't stop from wincing, he brought his arms around her and held her closer.

"Oh god, you're bleeding," she cried when she finally broke away.

"I'm fine," he protested. "I'm perfect. Are you okay? And Emily?"

"We're fine," she assured him. "You know Sonny wouldn't have let anything happen to us." She looked over Lucky's shoulder to try and make inventory of the rest of the cast of characters in their absurd little drama. "Is everyone else okay? Is anyone else hurt?"

"Helena's dead." His voice was shallow and quiet and his eyes downcast.

"Who?" Elizabeth asked, trying her best not to appear jubilant.

"Stefan."

This wasn't quite what she expected to hear. In fact, it was the last name she expected to hear except Lucky's own.

"I'll explain it all, I promise," Lucky told her. "Just give me time."

"I can give you all the time in the world," Elizabeth said.

"I'm going to hold you to that."

----------------

A/N: One more chapter to go!


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